Armor Alloy TC... opinions please

[Mark Meyer]

I'm not sure about this so I would like any and all opinions of all kinds about this:

I bought an Armor Alloy II Contender pistol many years ago during the time when they were actually in production and available brand new. IIRC, TC wasn't making stainless yet (they touted the AA as being better) and since Contenders weren't available at that time in stainless, I went with the AA.

I bought just two barrels with it when new, the .22 bull 10" and .357Mag bull 10".

As many people know, the barrels are NOT interchangeable between the "standard" Contenders and the AA Contenders, however, it is easy to have the AA frames and AA barrels modified so that they WILL fit ANY of the Contender frames and barrels.

In the mean time, I managed to find some more NIB AA barrels in more calibers that I wanted (thank you Ed's Contenders!) which were a .44Mag bull 10", .223Rem bull 10", and a 7TCU bull 10".
So now I have pretty nice set of all original, unmodified Armor Alloy barrels and pistol frame, but I'm starting to think there are some more calibers I'd like to try... but I can't because of the incompatibility.

So here's my question; I have no clue at all how "collectable" the Armor Alloy pistols and barrels are or might be in the first place, and addidtionally, I have no clue at all if modifying my "original" AA frame and barrels so that they will work with other TC parts will affect whatever "collectable" value my completely original, with all boxes, and in 100% condition AA set of frame and five barrels have or will have in the future.

My quandry is that if modifying my frame and barrels does NOT affect their value in any way, then I'm thinking I should go ahead and do that so I can start picking up some other barrels to use with this pistol.
Do any of you guys here have any experience with this and which way you might suggest I go?

TIA
Mark

[Possum]

Just my OPINION....

If I had a complete set like you do, I would buy a used Blue or Stainless Contender frame and keep my AA barrels original.  Considering you have the boxes and all the barrels/frame in original intact shape, I would not modify them.

 I have a 35Rem AA barrel that was converted.  It will not bring what a blue barrel will bring since, I believe, there are not many people willing to rechamber an AA barrel due to the hard alloy finish.  They tell me it is tough on the reamer. 

You can pick up a frame for under 200, other barrels for an additional 150, and use the same wood for both sets.  Just my opinion, but that is what I would do.  Look at it this way, (unless you do it yourself) by the time you send the frame and barrels back to TC, pay the shipping and the per piece conversion, you can probably buy the blue Contender frame and you are not out any money.   

[springer222]

Like Possum, just my opinion-
But I too would hesitate to "ruin" the AA barrels and frame if I had the funds for a secondary frame and barrels of my calibers of choice. And I use the term "ruin" loosely as I do not want to start a debate over my opinion of unaltered AA barrels, as collector items. I too have a couple of AA frames with several coveted unaltered AA barrels. If you ever decide to get rid of the 7mm TCU barrel, I would be interested, as it is one of the barrels I have yet added.

[Mark Meyer]

Well with your guys help, and the way I see it, it's true that even though the cost of having my unaltered AA frame and 5 barrels adapted isn't "that" much, it's definitely enough to pay for at least a good part of another Contender standard frame (preferably stainless).

On the other hand, I haven't seen hardly any AA TC's and barrels for sale at all, let alone AA parts in original, unaltered, condition.

So I guess what I'll do is bite the bullet  and get a stainless frame and a barrel in a caliber I don't have yet and just keep on keepin' on. That way, I still have my original frame and 5 AA barrels in their various calibers to continue having some good shooting fun with, and at the same time, after I've gotten over the original cost of another frame and barrel, adding new stainless barrels won't cost any more than would other AA barrels of which I'm not that interested in the other AA calibers anyway. I know that there are 3 or 4 more AA barrel calibers that were made but none that I just "have" to have since I already have all my favorites. Plus, I was fortunate to have found all of my AA barrels NIB so I sure don't have to worry about wearing them out any time soon.

So thanks gentlemen, I guess I need to go shopping for a stainless frame. And sorry Springer, while I have yet to even shoot the 7TCU (I reload a lot of .357 but that's about it at this point), I had always wanted to include that particular one in my collection. I'm a woodworking hobbiest as well, and I'm thinking about making a custom wood display case that will hold the pistol with one barrel and it's silver Leopold scope, and arrange the other four barrels to display as well. I have to keep all 5 or I'll have an empty slot. 

Thanks again,
Mark

[Gregory]

I have two Contender frames, a blue and an AA that I altered myself.  I'm not into collecting any TC's anymore and these are just "working guns". 

In your case, I agree with the other posters, keep your frame and barrels unaltered and buy a new/used frame for other barrels.   I don't see unaltered AA barrels selling at a premium but an unaltered frame with a set of barrels may have additional value to a like minded collector.

[kbush]

AA Frame and two barrels in classifieds